Author Page for Donna Steele

Re-Release of The Infection, Book One of The Melting Series

I’m so proud to announce that The Infection is back on-line! Beginning today, it’s on sale for $.99 for the month of May. I plan to have Book Two – The Progression up in August. If you liked Nora Roberts’ Year One, (I certainly did!) this may be one you’ll enjoy.

With Rebel Ink Press closing their doors, all fifteen of my books they published are being returned to me for renovation, expansion and new covers! Dance Partner and Wraith’s Heart are already back up. Thank you again, Rebel!!

Prologue

Festival Cruise Ship Gloriana, off the coast of Alaska

Linda Carson pulled her scarf closer around her head. The breeze from the glacier had picked up and she lifted her face to enjoy it, breathing deeply of the crisp, fresh air. She blinked as the flash went off and grinned at Gary, her brand new husband. He smiled back as he checked on the picture he’d taken. It was a good one and he shared it with her. She shook her head but laughed, happy to see him having so much fun. Who but Gary would have thought of a luxury cruise to Alaska for a honeymoon? He would make her life interesting. They moved on to another part of the railing to make room for other passengers coming up on deck to enjoy the sun and the glaciers.

She took a position on the port side of the ship, next to an older African-American woman. The woman turned to her. “I visited here on my twenty-fifth birthday. Look at the difference.” She held up a picture of the glacier they faced from her trip so many years in the past. Linda looked at it and compared it to the current coastline. The ice had retreated so terribly far. She knew about the melting phenomena; she’d read about it, but seeing the picture was incredible.

As Linda and her fellow passenger chatted, she took note of the sheer size of these coastal glaciers. They certainly looked like they would last forever. The only way to appreciate the magnitude was to use the other three cruise ships in the bay as contrast. Her eye simply couldn’t take in that the glacier loomed hundreds of feet high and the ships could draw no closer because of the constant calving of the ice. Even as they stood watching, another huge chunk of ice separated from the main glacier and the impact sent a water geyser into the air.

Linda knew how big those ships were. Their ship had been docked with the others a couple of times already on this trip. Thousands of people, twenty-five hundred passengers on their ship alone, were standing here and on those other ships, looking at the wild grandeur of the coastline and the glaciers that had helped to form it.

What an incredible honeymoon.

She and the woman visited for few minutes more. Linda looked up as Gary joined them.

“Gary, this is Mildred Ferguson.” Linda held out Mildred’s photos. “Look at these pictures of the glaciers.”

He looked at them, then nodded to the older woman and led Linda away. “Come here, I like this angle.”

“Okay, but you get in the picture with me.”

“Sure.” Gary turned to another passenger standing nearby and handed him the camera.

****

Antonia and Marco Moretti had certainly come up in the world. The cruise had been wonderful. All five children with their spouses and families were together, and with them for their fiftieth wedding anniversary. The grandchildren had loved it, playing together in the pool on the ship. And in Alaska, no less! Antonia shook her head in amazement.

When Antonia’s children had been so young there had been no money for such an extravagant vacation. She complained, a little, about the cost of a cruise even now, but having the children—she could still call them that, though Giovanni was nearing forty-nine years old—together was worth it. The cousins had gotten to know one another better. Her youngest daughter’s two little girls had been spoiled and had gotten over their shyness quickly when they’d met and played with their older cousins.

Antonia already dreaded saying goodbye to everyone once they got back to Rome, but she was glad for the two days here in New York City to break the trip. She and Marco would keep the little ones in the hotel tonight while the others—the older cousins and their parents went out to “experience” Times Square. Such a lot of people in one place! No, she was happy to stay in with the bambinos. At sixty-seven years old, and Marco at sixty-nine, they had no business out in such a crowd. Besides, the boat to the Statue of Liberty this morning had been crowded, and the Empire State Building line long and full of people. She had no desire to be in another crowd tonight.

The next morning as they all herded to the airport, she felt her age and even had a slight headache. The little ones were cranky and tired. It was time to go home.

****

Miko Yamada entered the huge Tokyo airport after her flight and stopped to get her breath. She needed to make her way to the luggage pickup, but she had a little time and the airport teemed with people. She was glad she had made the trip back to see the glaciers once again before they were gone. It had been difficult making the trip without Tetsu, but she had promised him that after he was gone, she would return for the both of them.

Seeing the young couple on the deck of the ship as they had looked at what remained of the huge glaciers had brought back memories of her and Tetsu’s own honeymoon. The ship hadn’t been as grand, but with Tetsu beside her, it hadn’t mattered. She had made her pilgrimage and honored her promise.

Still a little breathless and with a slight headache, probably due to fatigue, Miko moved on through the crowds to pick up her luggage. The bullet train would also be crowded. She was anxious to get home.

****

Bejo Darmadi felt lucky today. The cruise was over, his tips had been outstanding, and he was packed to go home for the first time in two years. He would fly into Jakarta, then take a bus on to Malang. It would take most of a day, but he would see his family again. He had gifts packed for everyone and he knew a party had been planned in his honor. He’d be with his family and friends and spend his vacation relaxing and eating his mother’s and grandmother’s home cooking. His name meant Lucky in Indonesian and he felt it today, despite the slight headache. What could be better?

****

And the contamination continued.

They had no clue that in less than a month they would all be dead.

P.S. On a different topic, Another Time is up for the RONE award – I’m so excited. If you’d like, you can vote for it at RONE. Thanks!!